Taste of Schenectady Fall 2019

The gourmet food and lifestyle connection© 

& BEYOND • VOLUME 4 • NO. 5 

CRUDO-GRAV-SUSHI 

How We Learned from Morimoto 

SCH’DY RESTORE 

New BakeLabStation Design 

DOWNTOWN DINING SCENE 

Liza’s to the Stockade Inn 

JERSEY SHORE 

Destination AC by Sofia’s Margate 

DEALZ BUY•SELL•TRADE 

A Wide Selection of New & Used 

Bodacious Beef & Lamb... 

and Bellevue’s Banquet Hall 

tasteofschenectady.com 

COOKING +SHOPPING + SAVING +KIDS + health + family + HOME+ HUMAN RIGHTS+ WORLD

Contents and a few spotlights 

20 

BRAZILIAN-STYLE BEEF AROUND HERE 

In AD 1500, navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in what is now 

Brazil and laid claim to it in the name of King Manuel I of Portugal. 

In Brazil local cowboys called gauchos, prepare legendary feasts 

known as churrasco. We spotlight two places, here, in Albany, NY. 


14 

6 

After 20 years making sushi, we improved our craft 

by spending time with Iron Chef Morimoto in his restaurant 

kitchen. Check out our feature on Fishushi. 

SOFIA GARDEN STATE GREEK 

The three siblings that own Sofia. in Margate, NJ, 

invite you to dine at the Jersey Shore before A.C. 

08 

The Mission of Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond 

is to inspire people to support family owned 

and independent restaurants & gourmet food 

and lifestyle businesses—as well as our community and 

ALL of its people. 

TasteofSchenectady.com 

TasteDineAndShop.com 

40 

2 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 

3

publisher’s note 

A Taste from the Capital District to Beyond the Jersey Shore 

By Food and Travel Editor and Publisher David Long, Jr. 

Fall is a time to enjoy the foilage with the 

kids, or as a couple! It’s a time to dress 

warmer and to wear those thicker outfits 

that can pass as smart casual—just in 

case you stay out late for an event. 

Whether you cook at home or dine out, 

this issue of Taste of Schenectady® and 

Beyond magazine is designed to inspire 

you to break outside your comfort zone. 

Our editorial focus this year has been on 

the Indian subcontinent. In that respect, 

we have slowly worked our way around 

to publishing the truth about the Greek 

influence upon the MENA and Near East. 

Forget about Alexander The Great—the 

Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC), and 

its Greek and Russian relatives borrowed 

and introduced flavors around the world. 

Where’s the beef? In this issue, we have 

featured Brazilian churrasco, as well as 

Greek, Pakistani & Indian subcontinent 

foods, and seekh lamb kebabs...In order 

to make these dishes at home, it is vital 

to have the right kitchen design. Recently, 

we added a new station to our Taste of 

Schenectady® Food Lab. We found a 

Hallmark Frost Lazy Susan Base Cabinet 

(MSRP $477) at the Schdy RESTORE for $40. 

With the help of Mitchell’s Moving and 

our friends, we built an L-shape countertop 

for the cabinet base—this station 

now serves as our new BakeLabStation/ 

Sashimi & Sushi Bar (story on page 36). 

We call fusion-mixed ingredients to 

make sashimi/sushi (either cold or hot), 

“Fishushi” — combining traditional ethnic 

foods with rediscovered artisan foods to 

produce a new trend in eating. 

What I like about Schenectady is many 

business owners are seeking to exceed 

our expectations... Schenectady Trading 

Company is a store retailing local heritage, 

products & talent. Think souvenir/gift shop 

meets indoor farmers’ market plus fresh 

coffee. Why limit these pursuits to weekend 

festivals and farmers’ markets? 

Enjoy the articles and recipes in this issue. 

But most importantly please patronize local 

businesses, and don’t forget to tip your 

servers for their excellent service. 

Thanks for reading Taste of Schenectady® 

Volume 4 • No. 5 

Food & Travel Editor 

David J. Long, Jr., CDM, CFPP 

Copy Editors & Layout 

Karen Long and Michelle Minix 

Contributors 

Barry Stone • Francis Kelly • Karen Virginia Long 

Jack Ryan • Ed Woods 

Photographers 

Patrick Ray and Ed Woods 

The Taste of Schenectady® is a registered trademark with the 

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). 

This publication is protected by copyright. The cover and all the 

contents, plus any special issues are fully protected by copyright 

and cannot be reproduced in any manner without prior 

written permission from the Publisher. 

©2014-2019 All Rights Reserved, Taste of Schenectady®. 



5


Catering for Our Lady Queen of Peace Christmas Banquet (left)—ask about our Banquet Hall Brunch, Lunch & Dinner Catering Packages! 

Book Your Party Now at Bellevue Café 

Banquets, Catering & Dining for over 32 years! 

Bellevue Café keeps you coming 

back time and time again. Combining 

traditional American and 

authentic Mediterranean flavors 

with great service, great prices 

and hospitality. And, now their 

new BANQUET HALL is open for 

holding holiday parties, anniversary 

and birthday parties, bridal 

showers, christenings, and more! 

I have frequented Bellevue Café 

and ordered almost every dish on 

the breakfast menu. We dine here 

often, and also go to Bellevue 

Café for lunch, and its complete 

dinner menu specials served with 

gigantic portions, choice of soup 

or salad, vegetable and potato— 

and great customer service. 

The founder of Bellevue Café, 

Spiro Mikropoulos emigrated 

from Greece to the USA in 1963, 

and opened the original Brandywine 

Diners in Schenectady. In 1987, 

Spiro and his family moved to 

the suburbs of Rotterdam and 

opened Bellevue Café 

Today, Spiro Mikropoulos’ children, 

Michael (who oversees 

the cooks), and his sister, Didi 

(who operates the dining room 

and take-out), run the place. 

Order the Chicken Michael with 

Pasta (tender chicken breast fillet 

topped with plump roasted red 

sweet bell peppers, mozzarella 

cheese and butter garlic sauce). 

Are you looking for someone 

to cater your next event? Large 

or small, Bellevue Cafe does it 

all—menu planning, catering 

and service accommodation 

in their new Banquet Hall with 

convenient off-street parking 

all on one level. The hall can 

easily hold 75 guests. ADV. 

The Bellevue Cafe 

2630 Broadway 

Schenectady, NY 

(518) 393-7720 

Open 6 am-9 pm 

Monday-Thursday; 

Friday & Saturday 6 am-10 pm; 

Sunday 7 am-9 pm. 

TheBellevueCafe.com 


7

DOWNTOWN 

DINING SCENE 

• STILL THE BIGGEST BITE AT SLICK’S TAVERN 

• FROG ALLEY’S BANDS ROCK STOCKADE 

• GRANO OPEN AT OLD APERITIVO BISTRO 

• MAZZONE JOINS COMPASS GROUP & RA 

• AMBITION, LIZA’S AND MALCOLM’S BRUNCH 

• STOCKADE INN THE SAME, BUT NEW OWNERS 

• WHISTLING KETTLE OPEN ON JAY STREET 

BY FOOD & TRAVEL EDITOR DAVID LONG 

For over 40 years, Mike Naumoff and his wife, Barbara, have 

owned and operated Slick’s Restaurant and Tavern at 127 Liberty 

Street in Downtown Schenectady. Slick’s Tavern’s motto, 

“Famous for Sandwiches Since 1974,” lives up to its every word! 

The atmosphere is cozy, the owners are humble, and the sandwiches 

are HUGE! 

A 1963 alumna of Niskayuna High School, the Naumoffs took 

over the tavern from Doug Slick back in 1974. “He did’nt want 

us to cook, so we came up with this menu to offer cold sandwiches 

and salads and keep it simple,” said Mike Naumoff on 

my recent visit. Up the road, on the corner of South Ferry and 

State streets, Frog Alley Brewing and the Six Pack Taproom 

are the cornerstone of Schenectady’s newly revitalized Mill Artisan 

District. New York’s craft brew and culture is flourishing 

several nights a week—bands can be heard as far as the Stockade. 

Nearby, the Stockade Inn sold this Spring to the Gregor family, 

owners of two hotels in Lake George and one in Maine. Jeff Mc- 

Donald, a Schenectady County legislator, and his engineer father, 

Jack (the patriarch of the family’s Van Dyck restaurant and 

its Mad Jack Brewing Company), decided to focus more on their 

architect and construction company building of new homes at 

the GE Realty Plot. 

The 18-room Stockade Inn with its 30-seat lounge, and 125-person 

banquet room, and event space, will remain the same under 

the watchful eye of the Gregor family. 

While many claim they are the best, Whistling Kettle has been 

voted the best tea shop two years in a row. Open in Ballston Spa 

for 15 years, Troy for 5 years, and now with a new location open 

at 138 Jay Street, you’ve gotta go there! A culiary collaboration 

between two innovative chefs, Danny Petrosino of Osteria 

Danny in Saratoga Springs, and Armondo Cioccke of Armondo’s 

Villa Tuscan Grille in Rotterdam, took over the former Angelo 

Mazzone Aperitivo Bistro. The duo are now offering authentic 

Italian fare as Grano, next to Proctors... Schenectady County 

Community College (SCCC) alumna Angelo Mazzone and 

continued next page 


ty Community College (SCCC) 

alumna Angelo Mazzone and 

Mazzone Hospitality joined the 

multinational contract foodservice 

British Compass Group and 

Restaurant Associates (RA). 

DOWNTOWN BRUNCH 

Brunch is still as popular as 

ever at Ambition Bistro, which 

recently celebrated their 19th 

year in business on Jay Street. 

Newcomer vegetarian Liza’s, 

last fall, took over the spot of the 

closed Capoccia Wine Lounge 

on State Street (next to the now 

closed Slidin’ Dirty). Liza’s is a 

plant-based health food cafe offering 

breakfast and lunch, coffee 

and espresso, smoothies and 

acai bowls, and brunch all-day. 

Brunch is served a la carte at 

Malcolm’s, located at 617 Union 

Street. The fine dining restaurant, 

owned by CIA alumna Nathan 

Germain, and is named for 

his grandpa, Malcolm. Union 

Inn (which reponed after water 

damage at 517 Union Street), and 

Jay St. Pub, that opened last year 

at 118 Jay St., both seem to be 

going strong. Next door, Tropical 

Fever Executive Lounge is 

holding its own. 

611 Union took over the space 

that was Marotta’s Bar-Risto on 

“Restaurant Row.” Although, for 

my money, I prefer Ambition Bistro, 

Executive Lounge and Slick’s 

Tavern. Try the other places—let 

us know what you think! 

SLICK’S TAVERN 

Proprietors Mike Naumoff and his wife, Barbara, 

are “Famous for Sandwiches Since 1974,” in the 

Historic Stockade. 


9

DELICATESSEN 

imported cured Italian specialty 

meats, cheeses, fresh sausage, 

and a store full of Italin groceries 

CAPRI HOAGIE 

Served on a whole loaf of Italian 

bread with capicola, ham, salame, 

provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, 

oil and vinegars and sweet roasted 

red sweet bell peppers. 

You say Tomato, and I say Tomahto, and let’s call the 

whole thing off when it comes to domestic Italian foods! 

CAPRI IMPORTS ITALIAN DELI AND CATERING 

2617 Broadway • Bellevue • Schenectady 12306 • (518) 346-6511 

Just off I-890, on upper Broadway 

in Schenectady, you’ll find 

the area’s most talked about 

and patronized Salumeria and 

Groceria—Capri Imports Italian 

Deli and Catering. This 

little “hole-in-the-wall” has 

been preparing hot and cold 

gourmet foods on a daily basis 

for decades. My father, 

God rest his soul, loved Capri 

Imports Italian Deli, and had a 

10 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 

Real Deli: Capri Imports 

mission to feed our family real 

Italian foods made from REAL 

ITALIANS—that’s what they sell 

at fair prices with an emphasis 

on fresh ingredients. 

Capri Imports Italian Deli and 

Catering is a full service delicatessen 

offering hard to find specialty 

gourmet foods for lunch, 

dinner, groceries and take-out 

catering. Stop in for lunch!


11

BEST/FISH FRY 

Combo’s Fish Fry is a family owned fish fry 

that has been serving Schenectady and the 

surrounding areas for over 50 years. 

NO NEED TO SAY ANYTHING MORE! 



13



By David Long, Jr. 

MORIMOTO, PASTRAMI SALMON CRUDO or GRAVLAX; 

YELLOW FIN AHI TUNA STEAK WITH SICHUAN SALMON, 

SESAME SHRIMP, GRILLED ASPARAGUS TIPS, GRILLED 

TEAR DROP TOMATOES, GRILLED BABY MIXED PEPPERS, 

MIXED OLIVES, FRESH SPINACH & SICILIAN EVOO SALAD 

I 

started making sushi over 20 years ago, but learned the 

true Japanese art to cutting raw fish for sashimi and sushi 

by spending time with Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto 

at his restaurant in Philadelphia. When making any type 

of raw fish dish, Gravlax, or sushi, the flesh of the fish should 

be a regular thickness—especially to cure the fish evenly. 

HOW TO KILL PARASITES IN FISH FILLETS: The fish must either 

be very fresh, or frozen – many recipes specify freezing the 

fish before curing in order to kill any parasites. Although if you 

find fish described as “sushi grade,” then Individual Quick Frozen 

(IQF) fillets of fish should have already been frozen out at sea. 

Ahi Tuna aka Yellowfin Tuna, frozen at sea, makes for great Crudo, 

Sashimi, Ceviche, Tuna Tartare, and Pastrami-Spiced fish for slicing. 

Each different type of salmon has different oil levels. If you’re 

going to make smoked salmon, fish with a higher oil content 

is better. The best salmon for Crudo and/or smoked 

is Sockeye salmon and King salmon (Chinook salmon). 

Norwegian Gravlax (Gravlaks) is slightly more sweet than 

salty. But most great chefs use equal parts of kosher salt 

and brown & white sugar to cure their fish for Gravlax. 

One (1) cup of kosher salt, two-thirds cup of brown sugar, and 

1/3 cup of white granulated sugar added to two (2) quarts of 

water makes for a good curing brine. After the salmon fillets 

are submerged in the brine, and placed in the refrigerator for 

12 hours, the salt must be washed off, and the fillets patted dry. 

The fresh fish center cut fillet is usually then misted with 

vodka, but I use one tablespoon of a half mixture Asian 

sweet Mirin and lime juice. This method is usually more acceptable 

for persons who are opposed to alcohol in foods. 

ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN BRUSH THE FISH FILLETS WITH 

A MIXTURE OF MOLASSES & SICILIAN EVOO BEFORE 

DREDGING THEM IN THE SPICES-YUM! YUM! 

I like to crust the Gravlax with my designated coffee/spice 

grinder or pestle and mortar toasted and crushed spices; 

such as cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, 

caraway seeds (all measured in equal amounts). To the 

ground spices I add the equal measure of granulated garlic, 

onion powder, ground allspice (half a tablespoon measure 

of whole allspice berries), smoked paprika--and three 

(3) times the amount of ground melange peppercorns. 

to catch drippings. Cover the wrapped fillets with more food 

film or foil, and place a heavy plate, skillet, or weight over the 

wrapped fish to weigh the fillets down for another 12 hours. 

Obviously, you’re going to cure the wrapped fish fillets in 

the refrigerator. However, you should turn over the wrapped 

Gravlax fillets every 6 hours during the 12 hour spice process. 

After 12 hours, I leave the herbs and spices on the 

Gravlax fillets and slice them super thin on the 

bias to serve as Pastrami Salmon Crudo (Gravlax). 

Use a Japenese sashimi knife or thin, super sharp blade such 

as a flexible boning knife. Serve the Crudo/Gravlax with pickled 

red onions, capers, crumbled hard-boiled eggs, warm sliced 

bagels halves and cream cheese, or toasted Naan---with fresh 

coriander, olives and lemon. 

Francis Xavier (1506–52), was the co-founder of the Jesuits and 

a Roman Catholic missionary in Asia, most notably in India. He 

also was the first Jesuit to venture into Japan, Borneo, Maluku 

Islands, and other areas. In those areas, struggling to learn the 

local languages and in the face of opposition, he had less success 

than he had enjoyed in India. He was about to preach in China 

when he died on Shangchuan Island. Unfortunately, we cannot 

ignore the fact that the Jesuits and Francis Xavier introduced the 

GOA INQUISITION. Continuing our year-long feature on Asia: 

The Samurai, or Bushi, are the elite Japanese KNIGHTS class 

descendants (similar to Europe’s noblemen) of feudal Japan. 

These Samurai must always abide to the Eight (8) Virtues 

of Bushido: Rectitude (moral right living), Courage, Benevolence, 

Politeness, Sincerity, Honor, Loyalty, and Self-control 

(PROVERBS 24:16; Today, 1-2 million Christians live in Japan). 

Next, I dredge each fish fillet in the dry mixture...This makes 

my Gravlax into a Pastrami-style Salmon Crudo...I place fresh 

lime and lemon zest, and fresh dill and thyme leaves on top 

of each fish fillet before wraping in food film (plastic wrap). 

Prick holes on each flat side of the wrapped Gravlax fillets, and 

place on a rack over a sheet pan lined with parchment of foil 


15

Chirashi, also called chirashizushi is one 

of my favorite Japanese meals. The word 

“chirashi” means “scattered”. Crudo is 

more a Mediterranean term. We call our 

cold & hot inspired dishes, Fishushi. 

Mise en Place (“a place for everything, and 

everything in its place”) is required to prepare an 

assortment of crudo, poke, sashimi, sushi—and 

just about any dish and recipe in your kitchen. 

Chirashi fish is usually sliced like sashimi, 1/4” 

rectangular shapes. Pokē fish is usually sliced in 

1” inch cubes. Chirashi has no additional flavor, 

other than the sushi rice, wasabi and soy sauce. 

Cold 

& HOT 

FISHUSHI 

Crudo, Mixed Fishushi & Veg 

Avocado, Olives, Cannellini, Capers, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, 

Garlic, Mushrooms, Radishes, Red and Yellow Sweet Bell 

Peppers, Lemons, Limes, Scallions, Brown Sugar, Sweet 

Rice Wine Vinegar, Red Onions, Salt, Sichuan Peppercorns, 

Bay Leaf, Sugar, Spices, Tear Drop Tomatoes, Salmon, Sea 

Scallops, Shrimp, and Yellow Fin Ahi Tuna. 

The mild acidity of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) isn’t enough 

to cure raw fish like the salt and sugar mixture used in making 

gravlax, but it does create a subtle, flavorful coat meant to complement 

the raw fish’s natural flavor, rather than actually flavor 

the fish. The wrong oil used can dramatically alter the crudo’s 

flavor profile. ” At Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond, we use 

cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil from Sicily. Because part 

of the artisan beauty in making crudo, sashimi, and sushi, is its 

simplicity in preparation. Each ingredient in Crudo plays an essential 

role in making the fish shine. It’s a balancing act—you 

want just enough texture, oil, salt, and citrus without drowning 


the fish’s pristine flavors. In Italian, Crudo means 

“raw.” In Italian cuisine this word can be used with 

a lot of food: pesce crudo means “raw fish,” carne 

cruda means “raw meat,” similar to steak tartare. 

Poke, diced raw fish served either as an appetizer 

or as a main course and is one of the main dishes of 

ancient Hawaiian cuisine. Before spending time with 

Iron Chef Morimoto advancing my sashimi and sushi 

making skills, I met Roy Yamaguchi from Hawaii. 

Yamaguchi is a Japanese-American celebrity chef, restaurateur 

and founder of a collection of restaurants including 

30 Roy’s Restaurants in the USA and Guam, 

the Tavern by Roy Yamaguchi and Eating House 1849. 

He is one of the founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine 

movement. Roy’s was part of my Viking Culinary 

Arts Festival, at Viking’s center in Philadelphia. 

Miso & Seaweed Salad 

We love to make Japanese Miso Soup and Seaweed 

Salad. Visit us @ Twitter.com/TasteSchdy to follow 

our Taste of Schenectady® Food Lab pictorial recipes. 

Chef Masaharu Morimoto after a shoulder injury 

ended his career as a baseball catcher in Japan, began 

studying sushi in his hometown of Hiroshima. He 

quickly grasped the technique of this exacting food art, 

and at age 24, opened his first restaurant. Five years 

later, he moved to America. In 1994, Morimoto was 

recruited to join the original Nobu restaurant in NYC, 

and soon promoted to Executive Chef. From there, he 

opened his first eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia 

in 2001. Next was the debut of Wasabi by Morimoto 

at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 2004, followed 

by a second Wasabi at the Taj Mahal Hotel 

in New Delhi, India, in 2008. The much anticipated 

flagship restaurant, Morimoto New York, opened in 

2006. Morimoto has received numerous accolades, 

including several appearances on San Pellegrino’s 

“Top 100 Restaurants in the World” list. Morimoto 

Napa was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s 

“Best U.S. Restaurant Openings.” Taste of Schenectady® 

dishes below...HOST YOUR OWN FISHUSHI 

MAKING PARTY AT YOUR HOME... You can buy 

sushi bambo mats at Asian markets for under $2. 

Sushi rice, sweet rice vinegar, wasabi, pickled ginger, 

toasted nori sheets, cucumbers, avocados, surimi imitation 

crab, and ahi tuna are sushi staples. Visit Twitter. 

com/TasteSchdy to learn how to make Salmon Skin. 

Taste Sch’dy Food Lab 


17


POT STICKERS 

Chinese pork dumplings (more commonly 

called “potstickers”) are easy to make at 

home—and so much yummy-fun to make! 

Dim sum is a style of Chinese cuisine. It is 

prepared as small, savory bite-sized portions 

of Asian dishes served in small steamer 

baskets or in a small china bowls and/or plates. 

Dim sum dishes are usually served with hot tea and 

together form a Full Tea Dim Sum Brunch. Due to 

the Cantonese tradition of enjoying tea with this cuisine, 

yum cha, which means “drink tea” in Cantonese, 

is also synonymous with dim sum—traditionally 

served as fully cooked, ready-to-serve dishes. 

In some Cantonese teahouses, multi-tiered carts 

with dim sum are served around the restaurant. Patrons 

simply point to the various small dishes they 

desire, and the server places the dim sum dishes in 

front of the customer. 

ASIAN SHOP & MAKE HOMEMADE 

pork to: 3 large Napa cabbage leaves, minced, 4 

stalks scallions, minced, 5 shitake mushrooms, 

minced, 1/4 cup bok choy, finely minced, 1/4 cup 

bamboo shoots, finely minced, 2 garlic cloves, 

minced, 3 Tb fresh ginger, minced, 2 Tb soy sauce, 

1 tsp fish sauce, 2 Tb corn starch to bind the mix, 

and 1 Tb sesame oil. You can add minced shrimp. 

Next, add one rounded scoop of the pork filling 

mixture to the center of each single round wonton 

wrapper, and fold them in half—and pinch 

the edges together. If you do not possess Chinese 

dumpling folding skills, you can buy a cheap 

wonton plastic press. At Taste of Schectady® 

and Beyond, we use both round wonton wrappers 

and square wonton wrappers—just fold the 

square wrappers into a triangle and then fold in 

the edges to make little purses. 

You do not need to speak a foreign language to dine at 

a Dim Sum restaurant. Simply ask the host the pre-fixe 

price, and if you’re willing to pay on average $20 for 

All-U-Can-Eat, then sit down and enjoy brunch. 

On the other hand, you can make your own dim sum at 

home. The most common type of dim sum recognized 

here in the West are dumplings served with or without 

dipping sauce. To use round wonton wrappers, you first 

make the pork filling by using 1 pound of lean, ground 


19

On July 18, 2019, I dined at Texas de Brazil in the 

Crossgates Mall...Churrasco is Spanish and Portuguese 

for beef or grilled meat more generally. It 

is a prominent feature in the cuisine of Uruguay, 

Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Guatemala, Colombia, 

Nicaragua, Peru, Chile and other Latin American 

countries. The related term churrascaria is mostly 

understood to be a steakhouse. Portugal colonized 

Brazil, where local cowboys called gauchos, prepare 

legendary feasts in a tradition known as churrasco. 

Slow-roast meats over open flames, present 

an impressive culinary display—served with fresh 

seafood, vegetable dishes and regional delicacies. 

The succulent meats are carved tableside. 

DINNER $44.99 ($59 with Tip). 

Salad Area Only $29.99. 

WEEKEND LUNCH $34.99 

Salad Area Only $24.99 

Prices do not include alcohol, featured items, desserts, beverages, 

tax or gratuity. When purchased with a full-price meal 

children 2 years and under are complimentary, 3-5 years are 

$5.00 and 6-12 years are half price. 

Texas de Brazil 

E-111 Crossgates Mall 

Albany, NY 


Comparing Churrascarias 

By Food and Travel Editor David Long 

Also in July, I dined at Brazilian 

Steakhouse, on Central Avenue, 

in Colonie. The new Brazilian 

restsurant opened to family, 

friends and patrons. 

This fast-food churrascaria has 

a different concept than other 

Brazilian-style restaurants that 

I have enjoyed in the past. The 

carvers do not come to your 

table with skewers of charbroiled 

meats to slice tableside. 

Nevertheless, the quick-serve 

price to taste churrasca along 

with cold and hot sides cost me 

approximately forty-five dollars 

($45) less to dine at Brazilian 

Steakhouse than Texas de Brazil in 

the Crossgates Mall. 

Brazilian Steakhouse offers a selection 

of beef, pork, poultry 

and sausages instead from its 

priced-per-pound buffet line 

and carving board. The salad 

bar features none of the traditional 

marinated fish and seafood 

salads served at many Brazilian 

churrascaria restaurants. 

However on both the cold and 

hot bar you will find pasta and 

potato casseroles, rice dishes, 

black and pinto beans, polenta, 

and stewed chicken and a 

beef casserole. On the other 

hand, the flavor of the flank 

steak, skewered sausages and 

chicken wings (carved at the 

end of the buffet line to your 

requested number—priced per 

pound) were delicious. 

All-in-All for $14.13+Tip at Brazilian 

Steakhouse in Colonie, NY 

(which included my selection 

of a bottled water), it’s a fair 

price to sample the foods of this 

churrascaria. The beef is the 

best choice of what’s for dinner. 

Give this place a try... Brazilian 

Steakhouse, 1647 Central Ave 

Albany, New York. 


21

FIGHT/FRIENDS 

How an honest mistake and family fight 

led to us becoming friends with one of the 

Capital region’s largest Asian markets. 

ASIAN MARKET SHOPPING GUIDE 

BY FOOD EDITOR DAVID LONG, JR. 

THEY WERE THINKING KILOGRAM— 

THE SIGN FOR HEAD-ON SHRIMP 

READ $6.99 PER POUND 

love shopping at Asian markets for the selection of exotic 

I foods. Recently, we went to our local Asian market to purchase 

head-on shrimp, conch meat and squid to make a Mixed Grill. 

The owners were arguing over the price of the head-on shrimp. 

So, I asked them to Google how shrimp is priced and marketed 

in the United States—they were thinking Kilogram—the 

sign for head-on shrimp read $6.99/lb. Now, we are all besta 

buddies, and when I shop there, we talk together and laugh! 

Pan-Asian Cuisine vs Asian-Fusion? 

Pan-Asian Fusion cuisine combines dishes from across Asia that 

not only compliment each other but may also fuse perfectly with 

cultural recipes from entirely different continents — such as a 

traditional Chinese dish married to the exotic and rich tones of 

rustic Brazilian cuisine — like Churrasca (see page 20). 

Asian-Fusion recipes generally blends two or more Asian cultures 

into one dish. Asian-Fusion is a marriage of the best of 

two, or more cultural worlds — and always expands the dish’s 

flavor profile to a whole new stratosphere. For example, at Taste 

of Schenectady® and Beyond magazine, we sometimes make 

traditional Korean Seaweed Salad using seaweed stem with an 

additional kick of South Indian accents, ingredients, and flavors. 

Asian cuisine can include a wide range of flavor profiles and cooking 

styles from the entire continent — from Chinese, Bangladeshi, 

Korean, Nepali, South Indian, Vietnamese, Mongolian, and Japanese 

specialty dishes, among others. Asian markets allow adventurous 

shoppers to try new ingredients, and prepare and eat 

Asian cuisine — sans the overseas travel expenses. 

What Is Pan-Asian Cuisine? 

Pan-Asian cuisine encompasses specialty dishes from various 

nations and cultures throughout the entire continent of 

Asia. Pan-Asian cooked meals can include everything from a 

spicy curry dish found in Southern India, to pork, rice, and 

vegetable dishes from Vietnam, and/or a traditional Chinese 

rice noodle & dried shrimp breakfast (see my package here). 


THE HEALTH 

BENEFITS OF 

SALTED SEA- 

WEED STEM 

AND DRIED 

WAKAME 

USED TO 

MAKE SALAD 

There are thousands of different 

seaweed, and many are edible 

— avoid toxic seaweed by 

purchasing edible seaweed at 

Asian supermarkets. 

Studies that were conducted 

at Hokkaido University 

(a Japanese national university 

in Sapporo, Hokkaido, 

Japan), found a compound in 

Wakame (fucoxanthin) that 

helps burn fatty tissue, and 

also stimulates intestinal 

strength and reproduction. 

Two tablespoons of WAKAME 

SEAWEED SALAD = 5 cal & 1 

gram of Carbohydrates, plus 

vitamins A, C, E & K — as 

well as iron, copper, magnesium, 

folate and phosphorus. 

We found both wakame and 

Salted Seaweed Stem (wet) 

used to make KOREAN-STYLE 

(sautéd) SEAWEED SALAD by 

shopping at Kim’s Asian Mkt, in 

Colonie, for the first time recently. 

WAKAME SALAD is easy to 

make. Use 2-4 Cups Wakame 

(dried seaweed & woods ear 

mushrooms (soaked in cold 

water, drained and squeezed 

to remove all water); toasted 

sesame seeds, sliced scallions 

on-the-bias, thin-sliced ginger, 

sliced garlic, sesame oil, 

a little fish sauce and Tamari 

(gluten free soy sauce) sparingly 

for salt and umami flavor, 

Hoison sauce for sweetness, 

and Komezu for acidity, Sriracha, 

and vegetable garnishes. 

Komezu is an unseasoned 

rice vinegar and is listed everywhere 

in Japanese recipes 

– marinades, pickles, stews, 

etc. For those not familiar with 

Japanese cooking, Awasezu 

is Japanese rice vinegar that is 

seasoned and has a mix of ingredients, 

which is popular for 

using in sushi rice — it is used 

in sushi rice to give the rice its 

distinct Japanese flavor. 

For over 15 centuries, the relationship 

between Japan 

Seaweed Stem must be soaked in water and 

rinsed of all salt before cooked for salad 

and Korea was characterized 

by cultural exchanges, economic 

trade, political contact 

and military confrontations, 

all of which underlie their relations 

even today... Since 1945, 

relations involve three states: 

North Korea, South Korea and 

Japan. In Asia, there are endless 

versions of Congee (porridge) 

made with all sorts of 

grains, proteins, and vegetables 

(Congee photo top of page). 

Miso Soup & Seaweed Salad are 

almost always served with 

sashimi and sushi dishes 

as a first course. Here at 

the Taste of Schenectady® 

and Beyond Food Lab, we use 

Dashi (stock of Bonito flakes), 

Low Sodium Organic Miso 

Paste , tofu and Wakame seaweed 

to make Miso Soup. 


23


The Greek Influence on the Near East and Asia—How to Make Your Own Lahndi & Nepal-style 

Sukuti... BTW: Greece was and still is technically part of the Middle East despite 

being part of Europe for the past 20 years. Arabs & Greeks influenced Hellenism. 

Afghan-style 

Lahndi spiced meat 

Slicing: I use a sashimi 

knife to trim off 

the fat before slicing 

the lamb very thin. 

The Greco-Turkish War (1919–22), resulted 

in the Lausanne Convention— 

population transfers involved approximately 

two million people, around 1.5 

million Anatolian Greeks from Turkey, 

and 500,000 Muslims from Greece. 

The last part of the name, -stān is a Sanskrit 

suffix for “place”. In the early 19th 

century, Afghan politicians adopted the 

name Afghanistan for the entire Durrani 

Empire after its English translation had 

already appeared in various treaties with 

Qajarid Persia and British India. The 

terms Near East and Middle East denote 

the same territories—the Arabian 

Peninsula, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, 

Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian 

territories, Syria, and Turkey. 

As of 1997, the Food and Agriculture 

Organization (FAO) of the United Nations 

(UN) defined the region similarly, 

but also included Afghanistan. 

Afghan Lahndi is dried meat, hung on 

ropes during the colder months. It is 

made of beef, lamb or sheep meat. Preparing 

Lahndi requires using your creativity 

to make the meat versatile to all 

types of recipes—the spices should be 

extraordinary. Pashtuns first separate 

the wool from the meat and burn the 

hairs on its skin. They cut the meat in 

pieces and rub it with pungent-smelling 

Asafetida and other spices. Here 

in the USA, buy boneless lamb from a 

Halal butcher and make a spice blend 

to dry on a rack less than jerky texture. 

Drying: Spiced lamb 

will dry in the refrigerator 

within 2-3 days. 

Afghans dry the meat 

15 days in the sun 

and soak the meat in 

water to use it. 

Curing: Asafetida 

adds the exquisite 

taste to Lahndi 

and works as the 

preserver. The dish 

has nutritional values 

and keeps the body 

warm. This recipe is 

like making jerky but 

less dried and hard. 


25

Greek-Pakistani-Indian Subcontinent 

Seekh Lamb Kebabs 


HOME & CULTURAL COOKING 

01 04 07 

02 05 08 

03 06 09 

01 Toasted coriander & cumin seeds, 

cloves, bay leaves, allspice, cinnamon, 

pepper, mango powder, onion, salt, and 

chili powder makes for an authetic taste. 

04 The disher/scoop allows you to 

portion the seekh lamb kebab meat. 

And, you can cover and refrigerate any 

portions that you are not ready to cook. 

07 Quinoa is a gluten free grain that 

pairs well with cooked lamb. Diced 

tomatoes, red onion, fresh mint, parsley, 

garlic, and Greek extra-virgin olive oil, 

salt, pepper, and lemon are essential. 

02 A pestle and mortar is perfect 

for grinding the toasted spices, before 

adding them to the raw lamb meat. Do 

not over mix the meat and spices. 

05 Using your hands shape the meat 

mixture into hotdog shapes, and thread 

onto the metal skewers. Make sure to 

press the ends of each side of kebab. 

08 What’s good Greek and Punjabi 

food without a flatbread (grilled naan or 

pita), Indian farmer’s or feta, fresh spinach, 

tomato, onion, olives & lemon? 

03 Make sure to gather your skewers, 

sanitary gloves, and a portioning scoop 

to evenly divide the lamb kebab meat. 

Test the flavor by cooking some mix. 

06 Try our recipe for Spicy Asian- 

Greek and Punjabi Tzatziki Sauce made 

with thai chili peppers, cilantro, cucumber, 

garlic, mint, salt, and hung yogurt. 

09 The seekh lamb kebabs with all the 

fixings are eye appealing and yummy. 

Make sure to allow guests to serve their 

own plate with plenty of garnishes. 


27

GIFTS/SHOPS 

Bardwell and local owners have done the 

legwork to bring all of these products under 

one roof so that local is truly local! 

LOCAL ARTISANS/CRAFTS/MAKERS 

HOLIDAY GIFT SHOPPING IN 

DOWNTOWN SCHENECTADY 

It’s that time of year to think about 

the special people in your life—and 

that means gift shopping. Yes, sure, 

you could decide to shop at the “big 

box” chain stores and/or malls. But 

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond 

magazine believes in supporting local 

artisans, local businesses, local food 

manufacturers, and local makers of 

hand-crafted gifts! 

The best independently-owned gift 

shops in the Electric City give you 

plenty of options for anniversaries, 

weddings, birthdays, the holidays or 

“just because” you’re thinking of that 

special someone. To take the stress 

out of browsing some of the city’s 

best and newest stores, we compiled 

our favorite go-to gift shops: Garofalo’s 

Online, Lennon’s Irish Shop, The 

Katbird Shop, and The Open Door 

Bookstore on Jay Street, are four of 

Schenectady’s oldest gift shops. The 

Open Door Bookstore carries what we 

like to call hand-crafted books written 

by local authors. The Katbird Shop, 

located nearby at 425 Liberty Street, is 

an ultra-charming shop that stocks an 

eclectic collection of art, antiques and 

gifts you’d rather keep than give away. 

You’ll find unique hand-blown glassware, 

and potter made vases—and 

downstairs at The Katbird Shop there 

is a section of heirloom, second-hand 

china and house wares. Some items 

are cool, some are traditional, but all 

are sure to put a smile on your face. 

Maybe you want to give the one you love 

a night out at one of the Daily Gazette or 

our Taste of Schenectady® choice fine 

dining restaurants or tickets to Proctors. 

But honestly, there’s no better feeling 

than watching a friend or loved one 

unwrap that perfect hand-crafted 

gift. With this desire in mind, Clinton 

Street Mercantile is one of the hottest 

new artisan craft and gift shops in the 

area… The Merc celebrates our local 

makers and offers one of kind products 

and goods to the community. 

Hand-crafted “Schenectady” mugs sold at 

The Schenectady Trading Company. 

The Merc is a shared retail space for 

makers to sell their goods and talents 

in a diverse, creative atmosphere. The 

artisan makers rent space on a monthly 

basis to build their brand and realize 

their dreams of owning their own 

business… Recently, one businesswoman, 

Caroline Bardwell, opened 

The Schenectady Trading Company 

on lower Union Street, after selling 

her goods at The Merc. Bardwell’s business 

grew to incorporate artisan foods and 

products from local farmers, other makers 

and manufacturers living in and around 

Schenectady County and the Capital region. 

She commissioned handthrown 

pottery “Schenectady” mugs, made by 

Guilderland-based Potter Barb Mitchell. 

Taste of Schenectady® just had to purchase 

some. Each mug is unique and hold 

10 ounces of coffee with room for cream. 

Make sure to eat local, and shop local! 


Gourmet cheese, etc. 

We like Cappiello’s for their hard to 

find gourmet Italian cheeses, olives, 

dried pasta, cold pizza ready-to-eat, 

selection of groceries and sauces. 

510 Broadway • Sch’dy 

Imported Italian foods 

Capri Italian Imports & Deli is are first 

choice for cold cuts, deli hot foods, 

antipasti salads, and excellent selection 

of EVOO and Italian imports. 

2617 Broadway • Sch’dy 

gourmet pickled foods 

The Dilly Bean is Downtown Schenectady’s 

place for artisan pickled food 

items and fermented beverages. The 

store also carries packaged foods. 

133 Jay Street • Sch’dy 

butcher & groceries 

Whether you shop at their location 

at 255 Mohawk Avenue in Scotia, or 

their Rotterdam location, Gabriel’s 

Supermarkets offer quality foods. 

1924 Curry Rd • Sch’dy 

fresh made pasta 

Pede Bros., Inc. manufactures pasta 

sold fresh and frozen. You will also 

find Italian specialty foods at their 

cash & carry store in Rotterdam. 

582 Duanesburg Road 

bakery & gourmet foods 

Perreca’s Bakery is Schenectady’s 

favorite spot for fresh baked breads. 

You will find a wide selection of 

cheeses and Italian foods to gift. 

33 N. Jay St • Sch’dy 

West Indian groceries 

Ramesh Grocery located at 822 Crane 

Street and Timothy’s World West 

Indian Grocery Market is the place to 

shop for Caribbean groceries, etc. 

1028 State St • Sch’dy 

gourmet pasta & sauces 

Casa Visco is a small batch manufacturer 

of premium pasta, tomato and 

pizza sauces. You will find Casa Visco 

products at many markets, or go to: 

819 Kings Highway 

buthcer & quality meats 

Sal’s Quality Market is a locally owned 

and operated shop with a large selection 

of fresh meats, deli, and home 

made Italian sausage. Visit the store: 

2713 Guilderland Ave 


29

COOK, PLACE & EAT 

By David Long, Jr. 

Chicharrón 

Everything Special 

Luscious fried pork belly, and inviting and warm 

Spanish food is always ready to serve at Albany 

Street’s San Francisco Restaurant 

Imagine my 

delight, when 

I returned to 

Schenectady 

after 28 years, 

and a guy, Andy, 

in the Stockade, 

told me about 

San Francisco.” 

I have my little haunts, where I go 

for succulent and tasty Caribbean 

and Spanish foods. I especially 

like restaurants where you can get 

a platter with entrée and sides for 

under $10 per person + TIP. 

One place that I eat is located on 

Albany Street, in Schenectady, San 

Francisco Restaurant...The food is 

cooked with love and passion. 

I always order Chicharrón at San 

Franciso Restaurant, and look forward 

to seeing the owner, Jose. 

Chicharrón, plural chicharrones, 

is a dish generally consisting of 

fried pork belly or fried pork rinds. 

Chicharrón may also be made from 

chicken, mutton or beef...I fell in 

love with Chicharrón while working 

as a chef in North Jersey. From 

Passaic to Paterson, and down to 

Kerney, New Jersey, you will find 

Chicharrón on the menu of most 

Latin-American restaurants. 

Imagine my delight when I returned 

to Schenectady after 28 

years, and a neighbor told me 

about San Francisco Restaurant... 

672 Albany Street, Schenectady. 



31

Best local ETHNIC BITES 

Authentic Mexican 

The best Mexican food in Schenectady. 

Enchilladas, fajitas, traditional and creative 

Central American cuisine. Full bar and 

spacious dining room. 

Casa Real • 1400 Altamont Ave • 

Sch’dy NY (518) 356-0060 

Oxtails, Curry Goat, Jerk, Stew 

Trinidadian Doubles to die for! Late Night Full 

Bar. Curry Goat, Curry/Jerk/Stew Chicken, 

Oxtails, Escovitche, Beef Patties & More 

Executive Lounge • 108 Jay St. 

Sch’dy, NY (518) 280-5415 

Really Good Spanish food 

If you want to experience Puerto Rican 

and Domincan food at its best, you’ve got 

to go to this place before 1pm most days. 

Really cheap eats! 

San Francisco • 872 Albany St 

• Sch’dy NY (518) 382-5962 

Best Bbq and Smoked Ribs 

The best BBQ and smoked meats in the 

Capital District! The ribs, pulled pork & 

chicken are luscious and sure to please! 

Memphis King • 1902 Van 

Vranken Ave (518) 372-5464 

Best Italian Family-style 

For appetizers, banquets, catering, lunch 

and/or dinner, desserts, Ferrari’s Ristorante 

provides authentic Italian food with a passion 

for high quality authentic cuisine. 

Ferrari’s • 1245 Congress St • 

Sch’dy, NY (518) 382-8865 

Best Afghan, Indian, Nepal 

Halal Buffet 7 days a week 11am-2:30pm. 

Tender goat, beef, tandoori, tikka, vegi 

dishes—served with naan & salad bar. 

Madina Sweets & Restaurant 

Albany, NY (518) 449-9000 

Best Italian Deli & Imports 

This caterer and deli is known for its 

braggadocio Italian hoagies and luscious 

Italian to-go entrées. The menu 

and Bindi desserts will happily fill you! 

Capri Imports • 2617 Broadway 

Sch’dy • NY (518) 346-6511 

Best Chinese & Fun Chow 

China is a country with diverse cuisine. So 

if you want to satisfy your cravings for a 

variety of foods, Ming’s Flavor is the way 

to go! Bring the kids, and/or a friend! 

Ming’s Flavor • 9 Mohawk Ave 

• Scotia (518) 347-1288 

Puerto Rican & Dominican 

Enjoy a taste of authentic Puerto Rican and 

Dominican food from Mami’s hot food 

steam table—it’s not a buffet—it’s yummy 

entrées served a la carte with sides! 

Mami’s Restaurant • 911 Crane 

St. • Sch’dy NY (518) 377-8700 


1 IN 3 ADULTS 

HAS PREDIABETES. 

COULD BE YOU, 

YOUR BARBER, 

YOUR BARBER’S 

BARBER. 

WITH EARLY DIAGNOSIS, 

PREDIABETES CAN BE REVERSED. 

TAKE THE RISK TEST. 

DoIHavePrediabetes.org 


33

Farm-to-Table Turkish Eggplant 

Turkish eggplant is distinguished by its petite size, globular shape and linear 

variegations in its skin. When young the fruit will be green, if left on the vine 

to mature it will turn an orange hue with red striations. 

By Chef Dennis 

Turkish eggplant, 

aka Scarlet eggplant, 

Ethiopian 

eggplant, Gilo, 

Garden Eggs and 

Mock tomato. Cook 

the orange-red, 

bitter eggplant 

with other foods. 

Stuffed Turkish 

Orange Eggplant 

2 cups cooked farro 

1 cup chopped Turkish eggplant 

(seedless inside parts of the eggplant 

you’re stuffing) 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1 clove garlic chopped 

1/2 cup golden raisins 

1/2 cup chopped pistachio’s 

1 Tb finely chopped Cilantro 

1/2 tsp Sea Salt 

* 3 Tb Dukka (To make, combine 1 Tb 

chestnuts, 1 tsp coriander seed; 1 tsp 

cumin seeds; pinch kosher salt; 1 tsp 

sumac; 1 Tb toasted sesame seeds, 

and ground it all in a spice grinder) 

1/4 cup aged feta cheese 

1/2 cup Greek yogurt, and EVOO) 

In a sauté pan, add some olive oil 

and sauté your onion, eggplant and 

garlic for a few minutes, then add 

the raisins, pistachio’s, salt, dukka 

and cilantro. Let this mixture cook 

for 2-3 minutes then add your 

cooked farro to your mixture and 

blend it all together. 

Remove form heat add in your Greek 

yogurt and feta and set aside to cool. 

When your mixture has cooled stuff 

your eggplants with it and make a 

nice mound on top. 

Find a baking dish that will hold 

everything upright and not allow 

them to fall over. Cover with foil and 

bake for about 30 minutes, uncover 

and bake an additional 10 minutes. 

This Turkish Stuffed Orange Eggplant 

were certainly a hit with my wife’s 

family, they looked great, no one had 

ever seen one before, and the spices 

blended perfectly. For more great recipes, 

go to: askchefdennis.com 



35

KITCHEN ENCOUNTERS 

HOME DESIGN 

Habitat for Humanity Improved our Kitchen 

By Karen Virginia Long 

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond cabinet base for our BakeLabStation was purchased at #SchdyRestore 

Habitat for Humanity International 

(HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat 

for Humanity or simply Habitat, is an 

international, non-governmental, and 

nonprofit organization, which was founded in 1976 

by Linda and Millard Fuller. Habitat for Humanity 

is a Christian organization. The international operational 

headquarters are located in Americus, GA, 

with the administrative headquarters located in 

Atlanta. We redesigned our Food Lab with Habitat. 

Community-level Habitat offices act in partnership 

with and on behalf of Habitat for Humanity 

International. In the United States, these local offices 

are called Habitat affiliates; outside the United 

States, Habitat operations are managed by 

national offices. Each affiliate and national office 

is an independently run, nonprofit organization. 

Affiliates offices coordinate all aspects of Habitat 

home building, and home improvement retail 

stores in their local area, including fundraising, 

building site selection, partner family selection 

and support, house construction, and mortgage 

servicing. The mission statement of Habitat for 

Humanity is “Seeking to put God’s love into action, 

Habitat for Humanity brings people together to 

build homes, communities and hope”. Homes are 

built using volunteer labor and Habitat makes no 

profit on the sales. #SCHDYRESTORE 



37

DOWNTOWN 

CITY SHOPPING 

A Wide Selection of New and Used at DEALZ 

By Editor-in Chief David Long 

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond brand new KitchenAid® Mixer was purchased at DEALZ 

DEALZ in Downtown Schenectady has been in operation 

for over six (6) years—specializing in buying 

and selling of all new and used electronics, jewelry, 

collectibles, sporting goods, etc. DEALZ is a licensed 

dealer of gold, silver and diamonds. 

At DEALZ, you can find unbelievable household 

items of good quality and at amazing prices! DEALZ 

sells many new items still in the box, such as the 

KitchenAid® Mixer with rotating head, mixing 

bowl and attachments that I recently purchased. 

BUY • PAWN • SELL & TRADE 

DEALZ is the area’s most patronized pawn, buy, sell 

and trade shop. Have you been wondering just exactly 

what is a Pawn Shop or how do they work, and 

why are they becoming more commonplace? Well 

to answer your question, let’s look at the history of 

Pawn Shops. Dating back to ancient times, pawn 

shops were one of the earliest recorded lending institutions. 

During the late middle ages the House of 

Lombard in Europe had many pawn shops. The sign 

of the House of Lombard was three golden balls and 

was associated for years with the pawn industry. 

The pawn industry came to America with the first 

Dutch settlers, and in the early part of this century 

pawn brokering was regarded as the main source of 

consumer credit. With the rise of large consumer institutions, 

such as finance corporations, savings and 

loan associations, and credit unions, the pawn shop 

was no longer the major source of consumer credit. 

However, the pawn shop still plays a vital role in the 


area of providing consumer credit. The general public 

needs to borrow small sums of money that other loan 

sources are not willing to provide to ordinary citizens, 

and this resulted in the rise of popularity of pawn shops. 

What chance do you think you would have in securing a 

$300.00 or smaller loan from a financial institution for a 

(ten) 10-day period? The cost of the paper work alone prohibits 

banks from making such loans on a regular basis. 

The benefit is that, if you can’t repay your pawned item, 

you won’t receive a black mark on your credit report. 

DEALZ owner, Aniel McGough, worked in finance for 

eleven (11) years. McGough came in contact with many 

Americans that could not attain small loans due to their 

low credit score/income. With a passion for helping families 

and individuals, Aniel McGough opened DEALZ. 

MORE THAN A TRADITIONAL PAWN SHOP 

Previously owned merchandise of excellent quality can 

be found on the shelves at DEALZ. Every time McGough 

loans on an item, he knows that someday it could be on 

his shelf for sale. Therefore, he only deals in good quality 

merchandise. Moreover, DEALZ is a well-established 

business with an excellent reputation. DEALZ is not here 

today and gone tomorrow like the flea market, auction 

sale, garage sale, or the guy selling out of his van on the 

side of the road. DEALZ staff are excellent appraisers, 

and have the tools necessary to check the quality of gold 

and silver—and check the resale value of all items. 

Variety makes visiting DEALZ an exciting and shopping 

experience! You would have to visit a dozen of different 

retail stores to find all the various types of merchandise 

found at DEALZ in Downtown Schenectady. 

OLD MOVIES & POP CULTURE MOVIES 

DEALZ has one of the largest selections of used movies 

for DVD and Blue-Ray players, and video console games. 

You and your children will love the experience of buying 

dozens of blockbuster and classic and movies—each for 

fifty-cents (box sets and TV sitcom series are only $2.00). 

COOKING • INSTRUMENTS • JEWELRY & MORE! 

Located right behind KFC, at 102 Liberty Street and 

South Church Street, you will find an assortment 

of jewelry, silver, clocks, stereos, sporting 

goods, cameras, indoor countertop and outdoor 

cooking appliances, computer laptops, hunting 

equipment, musical instruments (ie: acoustic and 

electric guitars), Smart TVs, DVD movies, power 

tools, and coins, just to name a few! 

DEALZ • BUY • SELL • TRADE 

102 Liberty Street • Schenectady, NY 

Mon-Friday 11-8pm • Sat. Noon - 5pm 

(518) 795-4824 


39

Sofia of Margate & Jersey Shore 

On a Porsche Cars North American (PCNA) assignment, we took off for the 

Jersey Shore and stopped at Sofia Restaurant of Margate before Atlantic City 

Before going to Atlantic 

City for a “Girl’s Night 

Out,” models Whitney 

and Christina wanted to 

go shopping at Jules of Margate 

Designer Fashions for Women. The 

ladies were hungry and ready for 

a glass of wine after shopping. I 

do not drink alcohol, but my photographer 

and I have been to Sofia 

restaurant in Margate, New Jersey, 

on numerous occasions. The women 

found Sofia restaurant to be 

more health conscious and acceptable 

to their dining preferences 

to eat Mediterranean-style “small 

plates,” known as Mezze... 

Meze or mezze is a selection of 

small dishes served as appetizers 

in parts of the Middle East, 

the Balkans, Greece, and North 

Africa. In the Muslim regions 

where it is present, meze is often 

served as a part of multi-course 

meals. The Greek word mezethes 

(pronounced meh-ZEH-thes) is 

deep rooted in the antiquity of all 

Mediterranean culture. Although 

the word appetizer is the most 

simplistic way to describe the 

array of spicy or savory dishes 

served hot or cold, it is an entirely 

separate feasting experience. The 

main purpose of mezethes is to 

allow guests to gather socially and 

enjoy foods that complement and 

enhance wine and spirits. Different 

from the typical appetizer 

course, which is an introduction 

to the meal to come, it is very 

common for groups of family and 


GRECO-MEDITERRANEAN 

Sofia captures the essence of the 

most amazing places on earth 

and incorporates them into your 

dining experience., 

DRIVING TO DINE 

As you step through the 

elaborately carved front 

doors, you feel as if you have 

entered a seaside Greek villa. 

friends to gather at restaurants on 

the Jersey Shore, such as at Sofia, 

and share several intricate dishes 

as they engage in great conversation, 

laughter and drinks. 

Mezethes are an integral part of 

Greek social life, as well as uplifting 

musical entertainment 

and good companionship. There 

is no better companionship than 

family, so when siblings Angela, 

Tom and Sofia Papastamelos 

decided to open a fine dining 

restaurant in Margate, NJ, the 

concept was propagated by their 

Grecian heritage and passion for 

all things Mediterranean. 

At Sofia, the models started with 

wine and pita bread served with 

Mediterranean dips of; Revithosalata 

(chickpea hummus), Taramosalata 

(Greek caviar mouse with red onions 

and capers), Tzatziki (yogurt 

and cucumbers pureed and lightly 

seasoned with garlic and mint), 

and Melitzanosalata (roasted eggplant 

flavored with onion, roasted 

garlic, parsley and feta cheese). 

I added on the Grilled Octopus— 

tender char-grilled tentacles nestled 

on fresh spinach, tossed with 

olive oil, lemon mixed peppers 

and grilled cherry tomatoes. One 

of my other favorite mezethes is 

the Scallops Sofia consisting of Kataifi-wrapped 

sea scallops in a cognac reduction sauce, served 

with asparagus tips, roasted red sweet beel 

peppers coulis and aioli. 

When you dine at Sofia, take your palate on a 

culinary journey and order the Flights of the 

Mediterranean: Brizolla Christine (flat iron steak 

stuffed with smoked mozzarella and pancetta), 

and shrimp wrapped with shredded phyllo 

in a cognac demi glace. Another choice is the 

Souvlaki mezethes, which combines marinated 

grilled tender chicken, presented on “horta” (a 

heaping portion of soft greens) with a balsamic 

mint honey puree. 

I have been told that the Spanakopita recipe 

has been passed down through the three owners’ 

family for generations. The flaky and savory 

spinach, leek and feta pie is baked in phyllo, 

and is flavored with a hint of fresh dill. 

Feel like an entrée? Choose from; poultry, lamb, 

beef, veal, fish and/or seafood. 

Sofia of Margate 

9314 Amherst Ave 

Margate City, NJ 08402 

(609) 822-9111 

LADIES NIGHT PORSCHE-STYLE 

Discover more about the history, 

products and values of Porsche in 

North America at Porsche.com 

Meze or mezze 

is a selection 

of small dishes 

served as 

appetizers in 

parts of the 

Middle East, 

the Balkans, 

Greece, and 

North Africa.” 


41

Taste of Schenectady Fall 2019

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?